Vanessa Bryant Shares Letter From Gigi's Friend On Anniversary Of Kobe And Daughter's Death
It’s been one year since the heartbreaking loss of basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna aka “Gigi.” Today, on the anniversary of their passing, Bryant’s wife, Vanessa shared an emotional letter penned by her late daughter’s best friend, Aubrey Callaghan.
“Dear Mrs. Bryant,” starts the one-page letter by the teen. “I am thinking and praying for you constantly. Please do not feel like you have to read this. I cannot begin to comprehend what you are going through.” Callaghan goes on to write about Gianna’s caring spirit and how she was a “fiery and stubborn” girl who fought for what she believed in.
Vanessa posted the full letter on her Instagram account, thanking Aubrey, while also sharing how she misses her daughter and husband dearly. “Today I received this sweet letter from one of Gianna’s best friends, Aubrey. I love you Aubz (as my Gigi would call you),” wrote Bryant in her caption. “Thank you so much for beautifully sharing some of your memories of my Gigi with me and allowing me to share them here on my ig.”
She added: “My Gigi is INCREDIBLE and I truly appreciate your thoughtful letter. She loves you so much. I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too. ♥️ I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings. It still doesn’t seem real. Kob, we did it right. Gigi, you still make mommy proud. I love you!”
Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven other passengers were killed in a helicopter crash in Santa Monica Mountains as they made their way to a basketball tournament on the morning of Jan. 26, 2020. Although the investigation has been ongoing, the National Transportation Safety Board will be releasing its final report on the cause of the accident on Feb. 9.
Last year, Vanessa filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the pilot’s estate, employer, Island Express, and OC Helicopters, a travel agency that has made flight arrangements for the Bryant family over the years.